What Do Marketing Problems Look Like?

Sometimes it's easy to see a marketing problem. One example of this is a stalled product.

You've spent many months developing a new product and feel sure of its merits in the marketplace. You've introduced the product, but it seems to be going nowhere. What do you need to do to take advantage of your investment and ensure the success of the new product (and perhaps your company)?

• Should you lower the price?

• Should you raise the price?

• Do you need to spend money on advertising?

• Do you need to kick off a public relations campaign?

• Do you need new sales channels, or do you need a program to "kick start" your existing channels?

Obviously some of these issues are tactical product marketing. Some may involve marketing services, or the problem may be fundamentally strategic.

Possibly, you have an unneeded or unwanted product or service. Maybe you have not fully determined what the differences are your product or service provides which are valuable to potential customers.

Another example of a potential marketing challenge is an important new product introduction.

• How do you ensure that you get the best press coverage?

• Should you introduce
  Survey Companies - Not Created Equal
  Make Money Fast - Paid Surveys, Cash for Surveys, Paid to Shop, Work From Home, Home Based Business Opportunity, Earn Money Online, Paid for your Opinion. We've all seen them. But the truth is, all survey companies are NOT created equal! MANY of them are nothing more than an excuse to try and sell you something. SOME of those so-called "free" companies will give you the opportunity to earn $1-$2 for your opinion, but only send you a handful of surveys each month and have such high payout levels, that it can take you 2-3 months or longer to reach them, so you don't make much money in any given year with them. So the secret is:1. Register with SEVERAL different PAYING companies. Of course, THIS means that you will have to keep track of them all so that you can get paid if you reach the minimum payout level for each one. In my first month, I registered with about 150 different companies, and I didn't reach the minimum payout level with ANY of them.2. Register with ONLY paying sites if you want to earn any money. Oh, the other sites will send you surveys, I tried them out, but they DON'T pay you with cash for your time...only with entries or points for prizes that you MIGHT win in a drawing with all of their other thousands of members from across the country.As is true with most things in life, you get what you pay for! Don't get me wrong, you CA
  Many sales problems can be solved by improved marketing. Selling harder is often not the solution. More . . . or just better . . . marketing may be what's needed. Marketing presents a special problem for any company that has not yet developed a professionally staffed marketing department. This article looks at the various marketing functions. It describes some successful approaches to determining when to add "more" marketing to your company.

  In The Beginning

  Most successful companies grow from a small enterprise based on the founder's idea or vision. In the early stages, the founder usually plays many roles. It's common to see a founder handling engineering and/or sales roles. As the company succeeds and grows, many of these tasks are delegated to others.

  The one area most often key to the long term success of the company is the function of marketing. This article covers:

  • The marketing functions

  • The problems they can prevent or solve

  • The contributions you can expect from marketing

  Marketing: The Difference Between Buying And Selling

  The definition of marketing has been attempted by many authors. It is commonly referred to as the process of relating the potential customers' needs and wants to the company, and then addressing the company's solutions to meet those needs and wants back to the marketplace.

  We have described marketing as the process of focusing on Who the customer really is, and What the customer is actually buying from you . . . rather than what you're selling. What customers can buy from your firm . . . that they cannot buy from another . . . is the real reason they do business with you.

  The marketing functions within your company that support this work can be divided into product marketing and marketing services to support demand creation and sales. Both functions are necessary to have an effective marketing effort. However, they are distinct. How much of each you need . . . and who should perform these duties . . . are important issues.

  What Is Product Marketing?

  The classic definition of product marketing includes the issues of product, price, promotion, and sales channel (place). The concept of product marketing holds true whether your company is a "product" or a "service" company. In the case of a service company, your "product" is the service provided.

  To succeed, these product marketing issues (product, price, promotion, and place) must be handled so they are effective from the customer's point of view. In the beginning, these issues are usually a key part of the founder's vision. When the company succeeds, they often become too complex . . . and too important . . . to be handled part-time, by the chief executive.

  Product marketing works over two different frameworks, each important, and fundamentally very different. These two areas are strategic and tactical.

  Strategic Marketing

  Strategic product marketing is the future component of the marketing problem. Strategic issues include:

  • What business is your company in?

  • What business should you be in?

  • What products or services should be designed and offered?

  • What technical capabilities need to be developed within the company or acquired from outside the company?

  Other related strategic issues include:

  • Marketing channel strategies (How do you reach your customers, then sell and deliver the goods?)

  • Competitive positioning (What sets your company apart in the minds of your customers?)

  • A complete understanding of, and ability to communicate to customers, What they can buy from your company that they cannot buy from any other company.

  The strategic role requires a person who is a generalist, with a broad view of the market, the industry, and the company. This is the role most usually maintained by the founder/CEO. Portions of this strategic function may be provided by a senior marketing manager or by outside consultants.

  Tactical Marketing

  Tactical product marketing deals with issues that relate to the success of current products or services. These include:

  • New products or services introductions

  • Promotion of existing products

  • Development of marketing programs and literature that are effective in reaching the customer

  • Communicating the unique position that separates your company from your competitors

  • Ensuring that the sales channels are being used effectively to reach customers

  The development of tactical plans is a product marketing function. The execution of some of these tactical items may be accomplished by marketing services, as described next.

  The tactical role requires a person with the desire and skills to "get it done." Both tactical and strategic roles require great communications skills, and the ability to deal successfully with a wide range of peo-ple, both inside and outside your company.

  What Are Marketing Services?

  Marketing Services executes tactical marketing programs. This may include sales contests, public relations, advertising, trade shows, dealer programs, direct mail campaigns, etc. This function manages or provides the creative, and produces items such as brochures, advertisements, press releases, trade shows, etc.

  There is obviously an overlap between tactical marketing and marketing services in the area of defining and planning these programs. A senior, experienced, marketing services professional may be able to perform some of the functions of tactical marketing. Unfortunately, many times we place an excellent marketing services person in a position which really is tactical marketing . . . and the results are not satisfactory.

  Marketing Services' function is to create and manage the tools, support materials, and collateral that tactical marketing has determined necessary to effectively implement the programs designed to achieve the strategy.

  Skilled marketing services professionals have excellent input regarding these tools and materials to assure effective results. Asking them to perform the tactical product marketing function is quite another thing!

  What Do Marketing Problems Look Like?

  Sometimes it's easy to see a marketing problem. One example of this is a stalled product.

  You've spent many months developing a new product and feel sure of its merits in the marketplace. You've introduced the product, but it seems to be going nowhere. What do you need to do to take advantage of your investment and ensure the success of the new product (and perhaps your company)?

  • Should you lower the price?

  • Should you raise the price?

  • Do you need to spend money on advertising?

  • Do you need to kick off a public relations campaign?

  • Do you need new sales channels, or do you need a program to "kick start" your existing channels?

  Obviously some of these issues are tactical product marketing. Some may involve marketing services, or the problem may be fundamentally strategic.

  Possibly, you have an unneeded or unwanted product or service. Maybe you have not fully determined what the differences are your product or service provides which are valuable to potential customers.

  Another example of a potential marketing challenge is an important new product introduction.

  • How do you ensure that you get the best press coverage?

  • Should you introduce t
    Limitations on S Corporations
    It may be a good decision for small business owners to choose to be treated as an S corporation for Federal tax purposes. This allows income to flow through the corporation without being taxed until it is claimed as income by the shareholders. This avoids double taxation of corporate income. This may be the right decision for your new company, but you should discuss this thoroughly with your accountant before you decide. The following are the limitations on S corporations that you should consider:1. No more than 100 shareholders.2. Only one class of stock.3. Limits on deductibility of debt.4. If S-Corp has a home office, the tax deduction is only a 2% miscellaneous itemized deduction on Schedule C, because it is treated for tax purposes as an employee business expense. In a partnership or LLC, a home office is a 100% deductible on Schedule E.5. The S-Corp cannot reduce wages to avoid employment taxes, because it would directly conflict with its responsibility for its employee’s retirement benefits. Retirement plan contributions are based on a percentage of wages, not total S-Corp income.6. All distributions by an S Corp must be made pro rata based upon stock ownership. An LLC can make disproportionate to members distributions as set forth in the operating agreement.7. An S-Corp is required to file an extra tax retu
    buying from you . . . rather than what you're selling. What customers can buy from your firm . . . that they cannot buy from another . . . is the real reason they do business with you.

    The marketing functions within your company that support this work can be divided into product marketing and marketing services to support demand creation and sales. Both functions are necessary to have an effective marketing effort. However, they are distinct. How much of each you need . . . and who should perform these duties . . . are important issues.

    What Is Product Marketing?

    The classic definition of product marketing includes the issues of product, price, promotion, and sales channel (place). The concept of product marketing holds true whether your company is a "product" or a "service" company. In the case of a service company, your "product" is the service provided.

    To succeed, these product marketing issues (product, price, promotion, and place) must be handled so they are effective from the customer's point of view. In the beginning, these issues are usually a key part of the founder's vision. When the company succeeds, they often become too complex . . . and too important . . . to be handled part-time, by the chief executive.

    Product marketing works over two different frameworks, each important, and fundamentally very different. These two areas are strategic and tactical.

    Strategic Marketing

    Strategic product marketing is the future component of the marketing problem. Strategic issues include:

    • What business is your company in?

    • What business should you be in?

    • What products or services should be designed and offered?

    • What technical capabilities need to be developed within the company or acquired from outside the company?

    Other related strategic issues include:

    • Marketing channel strategies (How do you reach your customers, then sell and deliver the goods?)

    • Competitive positioning (What sets your company apart in the minds of your customers?)

    • A complete understanding of, and ability to communicate to customers, What they can buy from your company that they cannot buy from any other company.

    The strategic role requires a person who is a generalist, with a broad view of the market, the industry, and the company. This is the role most usually maintained by the founder/CEO. Portions of this strategic function may be provided by a senior marketing manager or by outside consultants.

    Tactical Marketing

    Tactical product marketing deals with issues that relate to the success of current products or services. These include:

    • New products or services introductions

    • Promotion of existing products

    • Development of marketing programs and literature that are effective in reaching the customer

    • Communicating the unique position that separates your company from your competitors

    • Ensuring that the sales channels are being used effectively to reach customers

    The development of tactical plans is a product marketing function. The execution of some of these tactical items may be accomplished by marketing services, as described next.

    The tactical role requires a person with the desire and skills to "get it done." Both tactical and strategic roles require great communications skills, and the ability to deal successfully with a wide range of peo-ple, both inside and outside your company.

    What Are Marketing Services?

    Marketing Services executes tactical marketing programs. This may include sales contests, public relations, advertising, trade shows, dealer programs, direct mail campaigns, etc. This function manages or provides the creative, and produces items such as brochures, advertisements, press releases, trade shows, etc.

    There is obviously an overlap between tactical marketing and marketing services in the area of defining and planning these programs. A senior, experienced, marketing services professional may be able to perform some of the functions of tactical marketing. Unfortunately, many times we place an excellent marketing services person in a position which really is tactical marketing . . . and the results are not satisfactory.

    Marketing Services' function is to create and manage the tools, support materials, and collateral that tactical marketing has determined necessary to effectively implement the programs designed to achieve the strategy.

    Skilled marketing services professionals have excellent input regarding these tools and materials to assure effective results. Asking them to perform the tactical product marketing function is quite another thing!

    What Do Marketing Problems Look Like?

    Sometimes it's easy to see a marketing problem. One example of this is a stalled product.

    You've spent many months developing a new product and feel sure of its merits in the marketplace. You've introduced the product, but it seems to be going nowhere. What do you need to do to take advantage of your investment and ensure the success of the new product (and perhaps your company)?

    • Should you lower the price?

    • Should you raise the price?

    • Do you need to spend money on advertising?

    • Do you need to kick off a public relations campaign?

    • Do you need new sales channels, or do you need a program to "kick start" your existing channels?

    Obviously some of these issues are tactical product marketing. Some may involve marketing services, or the problem may be fundamentally strategic.

    Possibly, you have an unneeded or unwanted product or service. Maybe you have not fully determined what the differences are your product or service provides which are valuable to potential customers.

    Another example of a potential marketing challenge is an important new product introduction.

    • How do you ensure that you get the best press coverage?

    • Should you introduce
      What Matters Most - Communication with Employees Is Key to a Successful M&A
      A merger and acquisition is complete when the integration of the two companies is complete, not when the deal is announced to the marketplace or consummated according to a legal or financial transaction. Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are a significant activity for many organizations. Yet most mergers are not successful, primarily because the "merger of two organizations is actually a merger of individuals and groups," according to Buono and Bowditch, authors of The Human Side of Mergers and Acquisitions: Managing Collisions Between People, Cultures, and Organizations.A merger means that two previously separate organizations are combined into a third, new entity. An acquisition involves the purchase of one organization for incorporation into the new parent firm.Too many companies enter into M&A activity without recognizing the impact on the organization and the overall affect on the human element within the two merging companies. M&A activities that do not meet corporate objectives can result in lost revenue, customer dissatisfaction, and employee attrition issues.M&A researchers, consultants, and internal practitioners agree that using transition teams, an integration manager, and a comprehensive employee communications strategy rank among the best practices. Supporting best practices include; implementing strong communication skills, having an
      tegic issues include:

      • What business is your company in?

      • What business should you be in?

      • What products or services should be designed and offered?

      • What technical capabilities need to be developed within the company or acquired from outside the company?

      Other related strategic issues include:

      • Marketing channel strategies (How do you reach your customers, then sell and deliver the goods?)

      • Competitive positioning (What sets your company apart in the minds of your customers?)

      • A complete understanding of, and ability to communicate to customers, What they can buy from your company that they cannot buy from any other company.

      The strategic role requires a person who is a generalist, with a broad view of the market, the industry, and the company. This is the role most usually maintained by the founder/CEO. Portions of this strategic function may be provided by a senior marketing manager or by outside consultants.

      Tactical Marketing

      Tactical product marketing deals with issues that relate to the success of current products or services. These include:

      • New products or services introductions

      • Promotion of existing products

      • Development of marketing programs and literature that are effective in reaching the customer

      • Communicating the unique position that separates your company from your competitors

      • Ensuring that the sales channels are being used effectively to reach customers

      The development of tactical plans is a product marketing function. The execution of some of these tactical items may be accomplished by marketing services, as described next.

      The tactical role requires a person with the desire and skills to "get it done." Both tactical and strategic roles require great communications skills, and the ability to deal successfully with a wide range of peo-ple, both inside and outside your company.

      What Are Marketing Services?

      Marketing Services executes tactical marketing programs. This may include sales contests, public relations, advertising, trade shows, dealer programs, direct mail campaigns, etc. This function manages or provides the creative, and produces items such as brochures, advertisements, press releases, trade shows, etc.

      There is obviously an overlap between tactical marketing and marketing services in the area of defining and planning these programs. A senior, experienced, marketing services professional may be able to perform some of the functions of tactical marketing. Unfortunately, many times we place an excellent marketing services person in a position which really is tactical marketing . . . and the results are not satisfactory.

      Marketing Services' function is to create and manage the tools, support materials, and collateral that tactical marketing has determined necessary to effectively implement the programs designed to achieve the strategy.

      Skilled marketing services professionals have excellent input regarding these tools and materials to assure effective results. Asking them to perform the tactical product marketing function is quite another thing!

      What Do Marketing Problems Look Like?

      Sometimes it's easy to see a marketing problem. One example of this is a stalled product.

      You've spent many months developing a new product and feel sure of its merits in the marketplace. You've introduced the product, but it seems to be going nowhere. What do you need to do to take advantage of your investment and ensure the success of the new product (and perhaps your company)?

      • Should you lower the price?

      • Should you raise the price?

      • Do you need to spend money on advertising?

      • Do you need to kick off a public relations campaign?

      • Do you need new sales channels, or do you need a program to "kick start" your existing channels?

      Obviously some of these issues are tactical product marketing. Some may involve marketing services, or the problem may be fundamentally strategic.

      Possibly, you have an unneeded or unwanted product or service. Maybe you have not fully determined what the differences are your product or service provides which are valuable to potential customers.

      Another example of a potential marketing challenge is an important new product introduction.

      • How do you ensure that you get the best press coverage?

      • Should you introduce
        Advertising Strategies - Alternatives to Print, Alternatives Within Print
        Is print advertising headed for extinction? No way, but I am seeing more and more companies pulling dollars from their print advertising budgets and moving them into other alternatives. The reason? To brand their product or service more effectively by balancing their ad campaigns and reaching their targeted demographic audiences from different angles. And even within the print medium, the playing field appears to be changing. Newspaper and Yellow Pages advertising has suffered a blow from the growth of the internet. Googling, Yahoo-ing and online news sources are pulling from their numbers. With internet research more easily available, more advertisers are targeting their prospective customers with direct mail campaigns which gives them the ability to pinpoint the demographic they are trying to reach by age, gender, income and location.The internet is a growing alternative. Google Ads and Yahoo Sponsored Search "Pay Per Click" advertising is grabbing a growing share of ad budgets. This new medium gives you the ability purchase a keyword and only pay for it if someone clicks on your website. The way it works in a nutshell is, when someone does a search using your keyword, your website url and a three line promotional ad appears on the right side of the search results page. It can be as inexpensive as a nickel per click and you can limit what you spend per day, s
        nnels are being used effectively to reach customers

      The development of tactical plans is a product marketing function. The execution of some of these tactical items may be accomplished by marketing services, as described next.

      The tactical role requires a person with the desire and skills to "get it done." Both tactical and strategic roles require great communications skills, and the ability to deal successfully with a wide range of peo-ple, both inside and outside your company.

      What Are Marketing Services?

      Marketing Services executes tactical marketing programs. This may include sales contests, public relations, advertising, trade shows, dealer programs, direct mail campaigns, etc. This function manages or provides the creative, and produces items such as brochures, advertisements, press releases, trade shows, etc.

      There is obviously an overlap between tactical marketing and marketing services in the area of defining and planning these programs. A senior, experienced, marketing services professional may be able to perform some of the functions of tactical marketing. Unfortunately, many times we place an excellent marketing services person in a position which really is tactical marketing . . . and the results are not satisfactory.

      Marketing Services' function is to create and manage the tools, support materials, and collateral that tactical marketing has determined necessary to effectively implement the programs designed to achieve the strategy.

      Skilled marketing services professionals have excellent input regarding these tools and materials to assure effective results. Asking them to perform the tactical product marketing function is quite another thing!

      What Do Marketing Problems Look Like?

      Sometimes it's easy to see a marketing problem. One example of this is a stalled product.

      You've spent many months developing a new product and feel sure of its merits in the marketplace. You've introduced the product, but it seems to be going nowhere. What do you need to do to take advantage of your investment and ensure the success of the new product (and perhaps your company)?

      • Should you lower the price?

      • Should you raise the price?

      • Do you need to spend money on advertising?

      • Do you need to kick off a public relations campaign?

      • Do you need new sales channels, or do you need a program to "kick start" your existing channels?

      Obviously some of these issues are tactical product marketing. Some may involve marketing services, or the problem may be fundamentally strategic.

      Possibly, you have an unneeded or unwanted product or service. Maybe you have not fully determined what the differences are your product or service provides which are valuable to potential customers.

      Another example of a potential marketing challenge is an important new product introduction.

      • How do you ensure that you get the best press coverage?

      • Should you introduce
        Sorry, No Customer Service After 4:00 P.M.
        A few months ago, I wrote about ingenious styles of customer service that every business should know about, mostly because their employees were inflicting them on their customers.For instance, I warned about "in your face customer service" and "run for cover customer service", two equally effective opposites...like pouring too much sugar on your Cheerios one day, and pouring too much cayenne pepper on them the next.I also warned about "do-it-yourself-extortion", "consistent filibuster customer service", "Invisible Man customer service", "present-at-attendance customer service", "customer service on steroids", and "satirical customer service".You will have to read about these clever anti-sales pitches at:http://www.thehappyguy.com/customer-service.html , because today I want to tell you about a 100% revolutionary approach to customer service that my wife and I discovered in a village high up in the mountains.We were on our annual honeymoon, a three-day escape from parenthood to lick our wounds and give our tattered spirits a chance to recuperate.To tell the truth, the weekend was more like a marriage encounter. It gave me a chance to find out just who is that strange woman passing me in the hallway at full throttle, pinching her nose and radiating
        arketing services professionals have excellent input regarding these tools and materials to assure effective results. Asking them to perform the tactical product marketing function is quite another thing!

        What Do Marketing Problems Look Like?

        Sometimes it's easy to see a marketing problem. One example of this is a stalled product.

        You've spent many months developing a new product and feel sure of its merits in the marketplace. You've introduced the product, but it seems to be going nowhere. What do you need to do to take advantage of your investment and ensure the success of the new product (and perhaps your company)?

        • Should you lower the price?

        • Should you raise the price?

        • Do you need to spend money on advertising?

        • Do you need to kick off a public relations campaign?

        • Do you need new sales channels, or do you need a program to "kick start" your existing channels?

        Obviously some of these issues are tactical product marketing. Some may involve marketing services, or the problem may be fundamentally strategic.

        Possibly, you have an unneeded or unwanted product or service. Maybe you have not fully determined what the differences are your product or service provides which are valuable to potential customers.

        Another example of a potential marketing challenge is an important new product introduction.

        • How do you ensure that you get the best press coverage?

        • Should you introduce the product at a trade show? Or with a press conference? Or with a press tour?

        • What literature and sales tools will you need?

        • Does this new product (or service) fit your existing sales channel?

        • What is the competitive environment in which this product will be introduced?

        • How should the product be priced and positioned to take maximum advantage of the competitive situation

        • What do your prospective customers think of the new product?

        Again, some of these problems are tactical and some are Marketing Services. Executing an effective new product launch by relegating the planning and execution to Marketing Services, or worse, to your advertising agency, is a mistake. Given that 90% of new product introductions fail to achieve their sales goals, perhaps it's time to consider that the execution may not be the problem. Perhaps there was never a viable plan.

        Sometimes it's more difficult to recognize the problem as belonging to marketing. It can still clearly be rooted there however. An example of this is the conflict between sales and the factory. Often the conflict looks like this:

        The salespeople are frustrated. They see opportunity they can't turn into business, and they blame the factory for not listening to them, and for being unresponsive.

        The sales person says, "Why don't they hear what I am telling them?" The factory staff in this case is often frustrated with field sales. "Why can't they just sell what we have?", is a common question from the factory.

        Are the salespeople just complaining, so you should disregard them? Are the factory people being too "hardheaded?" Or is it possible that a marketing job, clearly defining the position of the product and communication of this to sales, has not been done?

        If sales does not know the positioning, you will be getting inconsistent results and information from them. Has this happened to you?

        Some marketing problems are easier to identify. You have an idea for a wonderful new product. But,

        • What features should it have?

        • What is the importance to your customers of each feature?

        • Is there something else even more important about which you are unaware?

        • How do you tell the story of the product so that you can get your sales people excited, and your customers to buy?

        To answer these questions, what do you do? Do you conduct a focus group? Or a user survey? By phone, or letter, or face-to-face interviews? Or just design it, release it, and hope you were right?

        The bottomline is that all of the above scenarios describe marketing problems which can be solved with the right marketing talent. Whether that expertise is full-time or a part-time, on-staff or from outside services are trade-offs you make to get the best solution your budget can afford.

        Final Thoughts

        The key to marketing is to see your company as you are seen by your customers. If you're satisfied with your company's results and feel that the future of your company is secure, then you may have all the marketing you need.

        If you feel better results are needed, that you should be selling more, or your profits should be higher, or you should be doing a better job of satisfying your customers . . . then you should seriously consider adding marketing talent to your team.

        (c) 1991, 2002 Customer Manufacturing Group